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I am looking for a j nat finishing hone. I know they are expensive but am prepared to invest a bit for something that will last a lifetime. I know very little about these stones and would welcome advice from other members as to what I should be looking for.
Theres really two main places to start. One is Oldschoolshaving.net which is run by a former SRP Mod and the other is So over at Japan Tool. The last I saw on So's site though is he isnt taking orders at the moment as he's swamped with work.
In terms of whats out there, J-Nats really are the confusing ones to buy...! There are different mines and different strata within those mines, and each stone will come out differently depending on where it was mined. Each one is almost unique and you'll need to invest some time in working out how to get the best from yours as they each require a different honing technique.
I lucked out and snagged mine in the classifieds, and I dont even pretend to know about all the different grades and so on. I know that Nakayama Asagi's are good as I have a DD that holli4 honed on one, and I know Nakayama Maruichi's are good as I have one and I love it. Over and above that I'm taking recommendations from the guys in the know..! :)
As you say they are expensive, so you want to have done your research before you pull the trigger!
What stones do you have at the moment? How are the shaves from them? How long have you been honing?
I have Naniwas, Coticule and Escher. Have been honing for 1 year. Shaves are pretty good but not honemeister level!
To be honest you should be able to get up to a honemeister level of sharp/smooth with the stones you have now.
For years the coticule was the go to finisher, and the Escher is renowned for the superlative edges it gives.
Adding in the J-Nat wont give you better edges than you can get from the stones you have now, just different edges. What I would recommend is practicing with the stones you have now and getting the absolute best out of them before adding in any more.
Of course if you want to satisfy the HAD, then feel free..! :D I do just think that you should be able to get killer edges with the set up you have now.
Yes, I think you are right. It is the HAD which is biting!
Well if its the HAD, embrace it and enjoy! :)
All I'm saying is that you dont have to have a J-Nat to get good edges, and a J-Nat wont improve the edges you get from the Escher or Coticule. All it'll do is give you a different feel to the edge.
Stubear gave you great advice. You have some fine rocks. The two best sources for Jnats are out at the moment. I believe OS is out of business. He's off the grid, won't return emails, and his site shows the same sold stones, (last I checked)
So is also on hiatus...We have a member here, who may be able to help you. If you contact me via PM, I'll let you know....
Rich
So is a very reputable seller, but you can find good stones sold here in US, at very reasonable prices.